Cryopreservation is a process where biological samples such as cells or whole tissues are preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures. At such low temperatures, any biological activity, including the biochemical reactions that would normally lead to cell death, is effectively stopped. Cryopreservation has many different research and clinical applications. By way of example, there is a frequent research need to store cell or tissue samples for a period of time in a manner so as to preserve their potential for resuming biological activity, such as in the cases of cell culture samples and hybridomas. In addition, there is a frequent clinical need to preserve and to store cells while preserving their potential biological activity, such as in the case of autologous bone marrow transplants, cord blood storage, and the storage of human gametes.